


In The Woods Somewhere

by bigbrainsmallpp



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It's never clarified, M/M, Pre-Relationship, but also not really?, but heavily implied they get together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24660997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigbrainsmallpp/pseuds/bigbrainsmallpp
Summary: Written for the Ranger's Apprentice Summer Fluff 5K, for Avery.This is basically Horace dealing with his feelings of being without a family when his friends have one and being alone since he left Redmont. The Will/Horace is pretty strong and heavily (and I mean heavily) implied. Enjoy!
Relationships: Horace Altman & Will Treaty, Horace Altman/Will Treaty
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23
Collections: Ranger's Apprentice Summer Fluff 5K





	In The Woods Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aseikh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aseikh/gifts).



Horace Altman is not an idiot.

While he’s aware he’s not as cunning as a ranger or as calculated as a courier, but he’s not unobservant. Horace has spent only a few days in Redmont, barely finding time to see his overworked and over-exhausted friends who have been pushed and pulled in every imaginable direction. Here, however, lying under the sun and far off the well-trod path that snakes and weaves through the woods, there was no sense of chaos or disorder that his friends often felt. 

As mentioned before, Horace was not an idiot. He saw the way Pauline’s lips would quirk in a pleased smile when Alyss elegantly spoke. He watched as Halt silently watched Will with such softness and care that when he gifted the apprentice with small praise or a slight smile, Will all but glowed under the praise. Jenny and Chub, while highly competitive, had nothing but overwhelming respect and admiration for each other, and Horace sensed the pride Chub had for his protege’s success. They all viewed each other as family in some way, either as father and son or a simple relationship akin to that of an older sibling caring for a younger one. During his time in Skandia he has observed Halt’s paternal side for Will become more apparent, especially when the youngest would wake up screaming or stare blankly at the snow. He felt a pang of guilt for not helping his friend, his closest companion, who was so clearly traumatised by whatever he’d experienced and witnessed. But in the end, Halt had helped them and brought Will home and now they were out in the same woods he’s sitting in, shooting and snarking back and forth until whenever the sun sets. They might never be willing to admit it to each other, but Horace has no doubt they love each other like father and son.

But then the dark thought skitters across his mind, floating in front of the sun that had been beaming on his face. Who does he have? Horace never completed his training in Redmont and never grew close to Rodney. He doesn’t have the uncle that Will has in Baron Arald or the pure parental love shared amongst Cassandra and Duncan. Horace is not close to anyone in his current home, and the only person he knows, Cassandra, never has time to talk. He longs for the sense of family and community his friends all have. Even George, shy and introverted George, found a family in his fellow scribes, no longer needing to rely on the physically stronger members of their friend group to protect him. Again, a heavy feeling is present in his chest. Another person no longer needs him, relies on his only attribute that’s worth something. Horace has no one, and there’s no one who needs him anymore.

He leans back against the tree and eases out a sigh, eyes relaxed and shut. He feels Will drop down beside him, leaning slightly against Horace’s own shoulder. He breathes out gently, the days work clearly having exhausted the shorter of the two. Horace’s own eyes opened and carefully gazed at his tired friend, something akin to worry and love (not in that way, because Horace would never… _right?_ ) brimming in the corners of them. “I can practically hear your paranoia. What’s on your mind?” Right, of course. Will was beside him, not injured or dying but simply tired and worn down (nothing like the way he’d been in Skandia, so fragile and skittish and terrified). “Will,” he begins hesitantly. How do you tell a boy, your best friend, who’s lost so much and been through some intense and traumatizing things imaginable, that you’re jealous of his life? “You know how you and Halt care for each other?” Will all but leaps away from him, pushing away on the backs of his hands to stare at his friend. “What? No, he’s just my mentor, that’s it. He doesn’t- why would you?” Horace offers a gentle smile at his panicked friend. “You do. He’s all but related to you, Will. Don’t deny it.” He watches as Will’s panicked expression morphs into a soft glow of happiness and content, clearly beginning to accept the obvious truth. “As I said, you two are like family Will. Just like Alyss and Pauline, George and his friends and Jenny and her staff.” He looked away briefly from his companion, scanning the rest of the trees before returning his gaze to Will’s eyes. “Well, when I left Redmont, I lost that. I’m young, Will. I’m an orphaned kid alone in a big palace with people more skilled than I’ll ever be. You’ve all got families, close friends to turn to, and I’ve got nothing.” He pauses again, refusing to make eye contact. “It’s… like I am nothing.” Will remains silent, and Horace fears he’s pushed too much. Knights shut up and say nothing, they take orders and nod at everything “smarter” people say, and now he’s gone and run and his big mouth. Instead of whatever is running through his head, he feels a massive force push into his chest, and suddenly his arms are filled with a shaking Will. He hesitates before putting his arms around his friend, and Will squeezes tighter. “I’m so sorry Horace, I’m so sorry.” His cries are muffled by Horace’s shirt, but he gets the message all the same. “You’re my friend, you’re my family too. You’re one of the most important people to me, I’m so sorry.” There’s a pang of guilt and Horace goes to open his mouth. “No, don’t say anything. It’s not your fault, I’m sorry I never noticed.” Will pulls away but keeps his arms on his chest, staring deeply into his eyes. Their position forces Horace to stare into Will’s glistening and glassy eyes, cheeks stained with tear tracks and dirt and whatever was on Horace’s shirt from his own morning training. “Look at me, no don’t turn away,” he comments when Horace, out of embarrassment, twists his head to the side. Will’s hand stays gently on his face. “You’re important to me, I care about you so much. When those boys attacked you during our first years, you still came to defend me, despite your own injuries. When I got taken to Skandia, you travelled with Halt to get me even though I might’ve been dead. We fought together, grew up together, trained together. No matter where we are, across the sea or in two different kingdoms, you’re always with me. Will’s hand moves from his face to grasping his hand, so caringly that Horace feels the warmth of the sun shine again across his skin. They stay there for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes. Horace offers a gentle smile and Will a watery one. “Thank you,” he whispers out, voice soft and hoarse.

\--------   
When Halt searches for his apprentice and tracks the footprints through the trees, he isn’t expecting to find Will asleep curled up against Horace, whose own eyes are shut but still awake, both laying in the now fading sun. Against his better judgement, he allows a small smile to spread across his face, concealed by the greying beard and shadow of the cloak. He watches as Will, his apprentice (and son, although he’d never admit it until much, much later) stirs and Horace’s eyes blink open, tightening his grip on the smaller boy. Halt pauses, wondering if the young knight can sense his presence. Horace hesitates, somehow sensing he’s being watched and goes to move away from Will. Then the apprentice stirs again and makes a noise that sounds something like a soft whimper and Horace readjusts and pulls him closer. Halt raises his eyebrows but turns to leave, opting to let the two have their moment together. And as he walks back to the path and is met with the amused gazes of the two horses. _You’re getting soft, old man_. He scoffs to himself as he leads the two smug horses down the path. _Yeah right_ , he thinks, _they just seem to need this right now_. And when Will returned to the cabin, being gently carried by an almost equally tired Horace, a soft smile on both of their faces, he realises just how much they did.


End file.
